


Bring them home

by Michelle212



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-04-29
Packaged: 2020-02-10 01:35:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 12,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18650251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Michelle212/pseuds/Michelle212
Summary: Picking up where a season 4 might begin.





	1. Scene 1: WyNedley

Scene 1: WyNedley  
Wynonna stormed into Shorty's looked around the near empty bar, spotted Nedley sitting at his regular stool, and made a beeline for him. “Where the hell did you go?”

He looked up from his glass of whisky. “I got tired of listening to you cursing and throwing books around.”

She grabbed his drink, downed the contents, and slapped the glass back onto the bar. “ Uhg. Yuck. Why do you even bother with that shit. No flavor. No kick. No nothing. You can't even get drunk in this damn place.”

“I like the feel of the glass in my hand.” He said pouring himself another. “Was there something you wanted?”

“Yeh. I was right. We are in hell. You, me, Robert, Rosita, the dozen or so other former revenants trapped here are all in hell. That idiot librarian and Rosita finally put it all together and I was right.”

Rosita walked in, “ Not hell, Purgatory. Seriously are you incapable of listening?”

“Purgatory, Hell. Potato, potato. What's the diff?”

“Quite a lot actually. And remember, some of us have actually been to Hell. Trust me this is a cake walk compared to that.”

Wynonna opened her mouth to snark back but Nedley put a hand on her arm, “Let's let the lady talk.” He said and turned back to Rosita. “You were saying?”

Rosita sat down next to him, “As best we can tell, when the curse was broken and the gateway to Eden closed, the 18 of us here were tossed into Purgatory. And I don't mean the town this place looks like. I mean the actual Purgatory, God's own waiting room for soles to cool their heels ‘til it time to be sorted out on judgement day.”

He nodded “Okay and how did you figure that?” 

“Well first off we've been trying to connect the 18 of us stuck here and best we can tell, other than you two, we were all living revenants when the curse was broken.” She held up a hand to stop Wynonna from interrupting. “Not all the revenants left though, just those of us who were innocent or only had what you’d have considered minor infractions in your time. Plus, only those who had been returned to hell less than twice and hadn't ever been so twisted that they lost all sense of humanity.”  
“I'm with you so far. What else?”

“Right. Well you know the horned fork tailed demon Bobo, uh Robert, has seen walking those that disappear into the arch under the stone staircase?”

“Yeh.”

“We finally found him or at least a demon that matches him description. Balthazar, guardian of Purgatory. And do you know what means Son Of Balthazar? That's right; Valdez, the same name found scratched on the wall of anyplace in town any of us once called home.”

“So those that have already disappeared?”

Rosita nodded, “Have already gone to be judged and sent on.”

Wynonna frowned, “ Fine. But sent on where? And if that's all true then what are Nedley and I doing here?”

Rosita shrugged “Heven, hell, who knows. As for you maybe you got caught in some kind of back draft when Doc went through the gate to Eden or maybe it killed you and you ended up here.”

“That still doesn’t explain Nedley.”

“You're right but it's the only explanation that works.”

Nedley rolled the glass in his hand. “Well, it sure sounds right to me. So, what do we do about it? How do we get back?”

“How do I find Wayverly?” asked Wynonna.

Rosita sighed, “I don't think there's anything we can do, except wait our turn and hope for the best.”

Wynonna jumped up. “Well, that's not good enough. I'm not going to just sit around waiting and hoping. One way or another I'm finding my sister and getting us home.”


	2. Scene 2: Bobo

Scene 2: Robert/Bobo  
Robert watched as Balthazar walked the librarian fellow towards the arch and clenched his jaw with impatiens when the nervous little guy paused reconsidering. Bobo needed him to go through to get the best connection. He had sensed the young girl on the other side of the arch flickering in and out for the last three days and each day he sensed her getting older and stronger. But the best times were those few moments just after Balthazar passed through the arch crossing someone into judgement and their final destination. In those few moments he could send and receive quick glimpses of thought. Yesterday for just a moment he had caught a brief sense of her trying to hold the connection. Today he could feel her waiting and was determined to communicate for real and maybe find a way out that didn't involve a final judgement.

The meek little librarian finally gave in and stepped to the arch. They were barely crossed when She came through stronger than ever. She didn’t speak in words but in intense emotional bursts that were almost visual in their clarity.

'Who?’ the desire for his identity a blast of feeling that nearly knocked him down.

He focused as clear as he could on projecting an image of himself but could feel her frustration as his own image of himself kept trying to twist itself from Robert back into Bobo. He focused and tried to hold the image of his human self but failed and the picture that finally focused was not Robert at all.

‘Bobo?’ the inquiry was laced with surprise and disbelief.

He grabbed the thought with both hands and threw himself fully into the vision of himself as The Bobo Del Ray.

A sense of delight came to him and then a rapid confusion of images. She was asking but it was coming to fast. “WaDoWy?WaDWy?WaDWy?” 

Robert's head spun under to onslaught and then he gripped tight and Bobo growled back “Damn It! Slow down.” And for just a moment he thought he'd lost her.

Regret/apology came through from her followed by a very controlled image/inquiry 'Doc?’ 

He growled even as he again focused on himself as Bobo.

‘Wayverly?’

‘No. Bobo!'

'Wynonna?’

'No.’ then he paused a moment and pictured himself again but this time with Wynonna and then again sent a thought of himself with Wynonna and Nedley and Rosita.

He felt a moment of confusion immediately followed my determined desire. And then he felt her reaching out to him and around him wanting him/them/him. He reach back as fast as he could but the connection broke and she was gone.  
The entire encounter was less than a minute but he had hope. He waited and about 10 minutes later he could sense that she was back and felt her probing and pushing trying to get through. Her determination and desire palpable. But again only for seconds. Every 5 or 10 mins for the next hour he felt her working but always in momentary bursts. Then finally a single clear thought came through. ‘Gather next crossing. Be ready.’ He waited another hour, then ran to gather the others.


	3. Scene 3: WyNedley

Scene 3: WyNedley 

Wynonna watched Bobo as he knelt eyes closed, head tilted, long ring clad fingers tracing patterns in the air as if he were listening for the perfect moment in some complex piece of music. She frowned. When they found him here he had been fluctuating between Robert and Bobo. As he spent time with them those first few days, Robert had started to be the primary but then he had started talking about sensing this girl whenever there was a crossing and Bobo started creeping in until yesterday he had stormed in all powerful fur clad Bobo demanding they come because he'd found them a way home, but only for the four of them. She didn't trust him like this, all charged up and ready to let the last two previous revenants be sacrificed. 

She laid a hand on Nedley's uniformed arm pulling him away a few steps. “ I don't like this. I wasn't comfortable with Robert but we were stuck here together and well… but this isn't Robert. Nedley, he's gone full Bobo Del Rey on us, ready to sacrifice the last of his previously revenant buddy's. And who's to say this is even taking us home.”

Nedley leaned against a tree. “He came and got us. Besides, if it'll get you home, do you care about those two criminals going to their rightful judgement and sent on to where they belong.”

“Well, no. But that's not the point. How can we know this'll even work?”

He shrugged “We can't. Not really. But Wynonna listen. If it's a chance you've got to take it. The town, your family, Waverly, Alice, they need you. Without you there, who's protecting them.”

She watched as the two revenants started forward to cross with Balthazar together. “Damn, if they both go at once, then we only get one chance at this. We better get ready.” She turned back in time to see him flicker from solid uniformed Nedley to a tired Nedley in retirement garb.

He shook his head sadly. “No, Wynonna, not us, you.”

“What? No. Your coming too.”

“No. I don't think I can.” She prepared to argue. “Listen to me there's not time to argue. I was sick, my heart wasn't behaving anymore. That's why I was retiring. Then that day I found Nicole and the others at your place and once they woke, we were all headed into the woods when a wall of power knocked us down. When I fell it was too much to get back up. It felt like my chest was exploding, everything went black, I died and woke up here.”

She was shaking her head tears forming in her eyes. “I don't care. You can't just stay here alone. I wont let you.”

“ 'm not staying, Wynonna. It's my time. I'm crossing over as soon as you've gone. I've got folks waiting for me, my Wife, My parents, old friends. I was just waiting for you, just in case you need a second chance at this” He saw them start to cross, the blurred image of a girls silhouette shimmered in the arch, Rosita held Bobo's arm in a death grip as he reach toward the girl. Nedley hugged the wild maned teary eyed girl hard, then turned her, and thrust her at them. She grabbed onto Bobo and they were gone.

He watched as the arched flared a moment before settling back into the swirl of mist his loved ones were calling to him from and waited for Balthazar to return, so he too could go ‘home'.


	4. Scene 4: Alice Michelle (and Joe)

Scene 4: Alice Michelle (and Joe)

Joe dropped her 13 year old step sister, Alice Michelle, at the curb in front of the school. The younger girl was beautiful with a wild mane of dark chestnut hair, piecing blue eyes, and fine boned cheeks on a face that could reveal nothing one moment and be so full of expression the next that you were sucked into whatever she wanted. Her best innocent face hadn't fooled their foster mom this morning though, when she ‘accidentally’ missed the bus to school. Nicole was the only other person, Alice, couldn't get to do whatever she wanted with a sweet look and smooth words. 

Joe handed the girl her book bag, “Do me favor and please stay out of trouble today. I've got a big project I need to focus on and don't want Nicole trying to get ahold of me.”

Alice stopped fidgeting. “You're going out to the stairway again, aren't you?” 

“Yeh.”

“Come on, Joe, you know there's nothing there. Even Jeremy said so and Nicole told you to stop going into the barrens alone. She said it's not safe.”

“Ha! You're a good one to talk about what Nicole says. She gets more calls at the station about the trouble you're getting into than she does about all the sheriff business combined.”

“Not ALL, just most.” Alice laughed with a wicked grin and a twinkle in her eye as Joe rolled her eyes. Then Alice flashed to serious and asked her older sister with a worried whisper. “You will come get me after school though, right?”

“I'll make sure you're picked up and if not by me then I'll still see you this evening at home. Don't worry, Sweet Luv, I'll be fine. I promise. Now off with you.”

As Alice ran up the steps to the school, Joe turned the old junker truck around and headed toward, not the Gibson Ranch they called home, but the Earp homestead, where she felt truly safe, where she spent her days studying, and where she could make her final preperations without fear of interruption or discovery.


	5. Scene 5: Joe

Scene 5: Joe

Joe turned the letter over and over in her hands, deep in thought, as she gazed around the neat little home. It was as clean and in good repair as it had been when Gus had first shown it to them, nine year old Joe and five year old Alice. She'd moved the three of them into her family home in Purgatory after her second husband, Joe's dad, had died. A few weeks later she had brought them here, to the Earp Homestead and as far as Joe was concerned, it was love at first sight. She felt safe here like no where else she'd ever been and she felt a deep connection to the land here, almost like she could draw strength from the very earth. They found the place had been abandoned but not neglected. Nicole had been coming in to check on the place regularly. Joe had loved coming here to play and to do the online schooling her father had insisted on (and Gus let her continue) while Alice was in regular school. By the time she was eleven Nicole and Gus let her takeover the care of the place and it had been hers ever since. 

Now the rooms were filled with the records of her three passions. One wall covered with her detailed genealogy that led back to Doc Holliday himself on her father’s side where he'd grown up near Fort Griffin, Tx and on her mother's side to one Robert Svein in Purgatory, who she'd heard stories about from Jeremy's husband Robin. The second, her school studies and now even some collage course work, was mostly on the computer but managed to claim a bit of space from the many books and journals on her delve into the art of being the earth witch her mother's ancestors had been accused of. Now it was time to put all three studies to the test. She looked at the letter once more. It wasn't to late to ask Nicole or Jeremy to go with her but she knew they didn't understand or even believe her and they'd probably try to stop her. She set the letter on the table (It wasn't really necessary, she knew what she was doing, she had this figured out.) and picked up the duffle of clothes, water, and nutrition bars. Then snatched up the letter and stuck it in the outside pocket of the duffel, just in case. It wouldn't be needed but she was determined that today was the day she would bring them through and she'd push herself as far as it took, no matter the cost.


	6. Scene 6: WayDoc

Scene 6: WayDoc

Doc stood in the deep pool of the calm river where the water was up to his abdomen and worked the soapy sap into his long dark hair and beard. As he worked his way down he flinched whenever he can to a cut or welt left behind by the rough roots and branches of the aggressive trees. He pulled away at a particularly strong stinging spot on his back. “Ouch. Careful there.”

Wayverly grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. “Don't be such a baby. There's a deeper cut here that's still oozing a bit and if it doesn't get cleaned out good, it'll get infected. You don't want to go through that again do you?”

Doc remembered the weeks he'd spent feverish and sick shortly after they had arrived. It had brought terrible pain and torturous dreams. Eventually Waverly's finding the stinging soap sap, cleansing, and care had brought him back but by that time the trees had managed to shift them so far from the center of the garden where the gateway home was that they feared they'd never find it again. “No. I most certainly do not.” He said and forced himself to hold still as she scrubbed the welts and cuts on his back. When she was finished he dunked his head under, rinsing out all the suds and followed her up onto the bank.

This pool along the river, identical to every other pool, was dappled in bright sunlight and surrounded by an astonishing variety of fruit trees and bushes, everyone filled with ripe ready to eat bounty. The river was filled with fish ready to leap to hand and easily caught. There were always just enough deadfall branches (dropped in neatly stacked piles of course) for a small cooking fire. Brightly colored uncatchable birds fluttered about serenading them (well more Wayverly than him he suspected) throughout the day and small uncatchable woodland creatures played near them for her amusement whenever thay stayed still during the day. The temperature stayed a steady balmy warm, day and night, to warm for much of any clothing but never uncomfortable and never cold. It was like a perfect child’s fairytale land but like any fairy tail the perfection hid a dark twist because this lovely woodlands was alive and determined to keep them trapped in this ‘paradise’.

Every area of the garden looked precisely like every other area. The sun shone directly from above, never moving through the sky just slowly fading into a lovely full moon each night and brightening back to sunlight each morning. Branches broken or fruit taken grew back healthy and whole as they watched. Even the soft grass beneath there feet sprung back as they walked leaving no trail. It was impossible to know which way you were going or where you had been. They only knew they were getting closer to the center of the garden when roots began to come up causing them to stumble then trip. If they got closer those roots would reach out for their ankles. And on the few occasions over the last year or so that they got close enough to spot the two larger trees near the way out, branches and roots would reach out to entangle Waverly to drag her away. When Doc had first stepped through into the garden he had followed her screams and ripped the capturing tendrils limb from limbs with his bare hands until she was free. The few times they'd come close he did so again. The wooden tendrils never harmed her only attempted to capture and root her but they were not so gentle with him. He would be beaten scraped and cut as the tendrils battered against him trying to drive him away from her. And the moment they stopped to rest or nightfall came the whole garden would move and shift around them until they would be away far from sight of the center once more. Though they had spent every day walking steadily hoping that this time they might be headed in the right direction only a few dozen times had they managed to come within view and each time the battle with the tendrils had turned them around until they were once again lost amongst the perfection. 

In the last weeks/months they had walked each day more out of habit than hope until two days ago when unbidden the voice of a young girl had begun to call out to him. A faint slightly distorted call of “Doc. Please come to me. Follow my voice. Come home.” Repeating over and over. The first morning he heard it he had taken Waverly’s hand and immediately headed toward the call. They had soon started to stumble over raised roots but had stayed the course. Even as they had ducked and shifted to avoid the first clinging tendrils the voice anchored his direction. By the time they saw the central trees Wayverly heard the voice as well. They had pushed on until the tendril began to reach out in lengths long enough to carry their angel girl away. Then they had fought breaking and smashing even as the trees battered at him. They had gotten to the very edge of the clearing where they could see not only the central trees but a glowing edged opening framing the out of focus image of the young girl calling to him. They had fought through the afternoon catching glimpses of the girl as she appeared to strain to keep the way home open but darkness came, the gateway closed, and they were turned around away from the center. They had found the nearest pool washed ate and rested only to awake once more to the same identical view as every other morning. They'd bathed, tended his wounds, and eaten again come morning when the calling voice returned. Again they followed and gotten to the center. Again they had fought. Again they were turned away.

Wayverly pulled on the faded pink shorts and scraps of white top that were all that was left of her clothes. “Do you suppose she'll try again?”

He pulled on the undershorts that were the total of his remaining clothes. “I hope so Baby Girl. I surely do for we have never come closer to home.”

She looked at him covered in scratches and scrapes, black n blue bruises covering his skin. “Doc, we can't just keep trying to fight through. The trees are to strong.”

He looked down at himself feeling the aches of the last two days. “There's nothing more to do and we have to try. Today our best will have to be enough. Who knows, perhaps our young rescuer will bring help.”

They began to pick at the fish left from the night before. “Who do you suppose she is?” she wondered.

“I do not know. A witch of some sort, I would suppose. She must be quite powerful to reach us. Though she seemed to be straining by the end of the days. Let us hope she is willing to keep using her energy on us.”

“A witch? But what if she wants something, something we don't want to give?”

“Darling, if it gets you home safe, what ever the price is I will pay it and happily let her curses fall on my head to save you.”

“I don't know….” She started to say but he looked away hearing another voice and they were off once more.

They reached the center clearing spotted the glowing gateway and the thickest of the tendrils began to rise up, when three objects came through the portal so fast they were only blurs. Each one smashed on a different tree and flames burst up. The gateway flickered as the tendrils pulled back for just a moment. 

Doc seized the brief moment and practically threw Waverly through the portal diving through it himself directly behind her.


	7. Scene 7: WayDoc

Scene 7: WayDoc

Waverly and Doc flew out of the gate past the girl and stumbled on to the stairs barely keeping their balance. Turning back they saw a teen girl standing perfectly still before the gate. Her arms were up and her back and shoulders were stiff and shaking with strain. The girl’s long thick dark pony tail waved as the girl began to shake her head slowly. Then as tendrils began to reach through the portal she took a slow step back then another and another until she reach the edge of the steps and tumbled backwards. Doc reached out to catch her but was a fraction too slow and she tumbled past him. The tedrils reached out to Waverly and they turned to run down the steps. One root had just reached around her waist when the girl landed at the bottom of the steps hit her head on the stone and went limp. With an audible snap the gateway closed and the sheared off roots dropped. For a moment they froze then Doc saw a pulsing at the door and hollered “Get off the steps. Run.” They scrambled down the steps and Doc grabbed the girl dragging her away from the stairs and onto the snow. Waverly grabbed the large duffle she'd spotted at the foot of the steps and followed. As soon as they were fully clear the pulsing stopped the gateway went dark and the door at the top of the steps vanished.

Waverly dropped down next to Doc and the unconscious girl. “Is she ok?” 

He probed the back of her head. “She's got one hell of a knot where she hit but no blood.”

The girl stirred opened her eyes to see Doc leaning over her and gave a weak smile. But when she tried to sit up her eyes rolled back and she fell back unconscious in his arm. 

“I think we best get her to a doctor.” He looked at the snowy landscape around them and began the shiver in the fridged cold. “But first we need clothing and shelter.”

Waverly opened the duffle and pulled out a thick flannel shirt. “Looks like she came prepared.” 

There was underclothes, jeans, thick socks, warm shirts, boots, coats, gloves, and tuques for both of them. They dressed quickly and Doc picked up the the girl in his arms. “I don't know who you are child but I surely do thank you.”

“There's a letter here addressed to us.” Waverly said.

“Great bring it, but I don't want to stop until we are out of the barrens. She's left a clear enough trail in the snow. Let us get to a warm vehicle first.”

As they walked the girl’s weight while not heavy began to wear on his battered muscles. He longed to lay her down and take a rest but though her breathing was steady and regular she did not wake up, so he feared laying her in the cold snow. When he started to think there would be no choice a beat-up old pickup truck came into view and they stepped out from under the trees. As Waverly climbed into the drivers seat, Doc lifted the girl into the cab and climbed up onto the bench seat beside her.

“How is she?”

Doc checked the girl. “Her pulse seems strong and her breathing regular. The knot in the back of her head is no larger. If I did not know better I would think she was sleeping but she does not wake.”

“Well lets get her some help.” She said as she started the truck and handed him the letter. “Oh and here. Might as well see what she wrote us.”

Doc took the letter with his and Waverly’s names on the outside, opened it, and pulled out a single sheet with clean clear handwriting.

“Dear Doc,  
If your reading this that means it actually worked and I did it I got you all home. Also I'm probably totally wiped out. Please don't freek. I'd hoped I could get you without overdoing but obviously it took more effort than planned, which means I need to recharge. Please, do NOT go rushing off to get help or rush me to the hospital or anything else dramatic. Just get me to the Earp homestead. You all should remember how to get there. Once on the homestead just tuck me in and let me sleep for a bit and I'll be fine. Please don't call anyone or do anything until we've talked. There's a lot to explain trust me. Only if it gets to be like 330 and you cant wake me, then use my phone and call Jeremy. He'll know what to do. Oh and remind him to make sure he picks up Alice from school. Okay so again please trust me and don’t freek out. Just get to the homestead and give me a bit to rest up and everything’s going to be good.

Thanks, Joe

P.S. Welcome home”

He looked up from the letter. “So what do you think? Shall we head to the homestead or shall we freek?” he deadpanned.

Waverly looked at the clock on the dash. “Well it'll be pretty close to 3:30 by the time we get home, so I say we take her home and then call Jeremy from there.”

“Yeh and make sure he picks Alice up from school? You don't suppose..”

“I don't know Doc. How long were we gone. I mean it only seemed like about a year but.” She stopped and took a deep breath. “Don't freek out. Right?”

“Right.” Doc replied but his eyes looked worried.


	8. Scene 8: Joe - WayDoc

Scene 8: Joe

Pain. Everything hurt. She felt like someone had beaten her all over then turned her inside out and run her trough a grater. Her head was a thin fragile shell with a throbbing of 100 hammers trying to smash their way out. All she could think was ‘don' t move. Just don't move or you'll crack into a million shards.’ Then she started to sense movement. She was laid down riding. She had just realized that she was half on someone’s lap when they hit a bump and every part of her body screamed and revolted. She rolled to her side away from the person holding her and retched. The action brought more agony which brought more retching. And it went on until her whole being was so exhausted that she couldn’t even move. She just lay hanging over eyes closed. She became aware that there were others talking but couldn't focus on what they were saying through the pain in her head. Pain was oozing out her very pours and she couldn't believe it wasn't visible. Then one thought broke through. ‘Alice' 

She tried to ask but only produced a groan that burned through her throat, so she stopped and gritted, pushed past the pain and finally croaked. “Time? What time?”

A sweet feminine voice answered. Not the one holding her from falling over into her own vomit, he was male. A man. Doc. Oh gawd she'd just threw up on Doc friggin Holliday. Wait she missed something. Something important. What? Alice. Must take care of Alice. Time. What had the woman said. “huh. Time. What time?”

“ It's just after 3.” The woman’s words came through.

Shit. She clutched for her phone but the movement set off a fresh burst of pain in her head and she gasped. 

“Whoa, girl. Take it easy there.”

“Jeremy. I have to call Jeremy.” She tried to move again, felt the darkness slipping in, and pushed it back.

“Hold on there. I've got ya.”

She felt her phone against her face, heard ringing, then Jeremy came on and she was so relieved she wanted to cry. “Joe. Joe. What’s wrong.” Damn she was crying. 

“You need to get Alice.” she choked out.

“Alice? Joe, what happened to Alice? Where is she?”

Joe pushed “School. Get Alice from school.” The encroaching black muffled his response. “ oh n I think I may need Cali…” she though/said? Then it went dark.

Scene 8: WayDoc

They were nearly to the homestead when the girl stirred, groaned, turned, and vomited onto his boots. He caught her shoulders and pulled back her hair, holding her from falling onto the floor as she retched again and again. Finally she just lay in his hold panting. 

“Screw the letter. This girl needs a doctor.”

Waverly looked over worried. “The hospital is a hard 40 min drive. I'm not sure she could take that. We're practically home. I say we take her there and call for help.”

“I don't know…” he stared but the girl interrupted.

“Time? What time?” she slurred

Waverly glanced at the clock. “3:08” but the girl didn't seem to hear.

“Uh. What time?”

“Just after 3.” Waverly said shooting Doc another worried glance.

The girl jerked suddenly and Doc almost dropped her. “Whoa, girl. Take it easy there.”

She tried to move again. “Jeremy. I need to call Jeremy.”

Doc patted the girl and found her phone in her coat pocket. “Hold on. I've got you.” He swiped the phone open, pressed Jeremy's picture, and held the phone to her ear.

The girl started to cry. “You need to get Alice.” Then with one last effort she said. “School. Get Alice from school.” The girl was clearly fading with a last whisper of “oh n I may need Cali.” before she relaxed back into unconsciousness.

Doc could hear Jeremy calling from the other end of the phone and brought it up to his own ear. “Jeremy. This girl, Joe, she's in need of a doctor.”

“Who is this? Where are you? What happened to Joe”

“It is me, Doc. We are just pulling into the homestead. The girl, Joe, she opened a gateway to the garden and brought us through but then she fell and hit her head. She needs help but we don’t dare bounce her around any more..”

There was a long pause. “Did you say Doc? As in The Doc? Doc Holliday?”

“Yes. Doc Holliday. I am here with Waverly and your girl; and we need help.”

“Oh my gawd. She did it. She actually did it. No one thought..” his amazed tone shifted to fear “Oh no no no. She's not strong enough for that. She'll be fried. My God, Doc, is she still alive?”

“For the moment but she needs help. Now Jeremy!”

“What? Right! Of course. I've got to get Calista out there and Nicole and… Hang on. We'll be right there.”

Waverly mouthed Alice.

“Right. And Jeremy. Don't forget to get Alice from school.” Doc said.

“Alice. Right. On it.” Jeremy responded and then hung up.

Waverly pulled the truck right up to the front porch and parked. “Well?”

“I do believe we are about to have more help that we know what to do with.”

“Thank goodness. Lets get her in the house and tucked into bed.”

Doc stepped out into the snow, lifted the child as gently as he could into his arms, and headed for the door.

They were definately no longer in paradise.


	9. Scene 9: Joe Doc

Scene 9: Joe Doc

Joe woke slowly, reluctant to give up the warm comfort of the soft bed she used at the homestead. She loved it when Nicole let her sleep over here, but she also felt a bit fuzzy and achy like she's slept too long. She opened her eyes to see the Doc Holliday hat she'd found was on the night stand. Shifting slightly she saw Doc sitting up in a chair, feet up on the edge of the bed, reading her journal. She listened and the rest of the house seemed quiet. She shifted slightly and he looked up at her with the softest bluest eyes.

“Ah. I see you have decided to rejoin us in the land of the living.”

She felt herself blush. “Uh yeh.” She looked around for what to say. “I see you found the hat.”

“That I did. Or should I say Waverly found it along with the chests of clothes for her, myself, and a couple others.” He reached up to rub his smooth cheeks and chin. “As well, I discovered the fine razor you acquired. I thank you. I do feel like myself again.”

Joe turned to sit up and was rewarded with a brief flush of lightheadedness. Doc leaned forward and placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Whoa. Take it easy, young lady. You are suppose to be resting.”

The moment of weakness passed and she gave a small reassuring smile. “I'm okay. Just a moment there. That's all.” She stretched her shoulders testing the stiffness. “How long was I out?”

He gave her an assessing look and leaned back into the chair and picked up the dropped book, holding it loosely in his lap. “About a day and a half. It was afternoon when we got here. You were out through the day yesterday, and it is midmorning now.”

She nodded, pleased that it hadn't been longer. She had planned for some recovery time. “Where is everyone?”

“The Witchdoctor, Calista,” Joe smiled at his term witchdoctor, Cali would love that. “when she visited yesterday evening, insisted you needed peace and quiet. Then she shooed the lot of ‘em out of here. Waverly went with Nicole and Alice back to their place and Jeremy took what research he couldn't leave behind and left for the home he shares with Robin. There were unanimous offers to stay with you but Calista insisted that strong emotions were a wear on your recovery. Therefore I was allowed the privilege of staying to play nursemaid.” 

Joe blushed again, embarrassed. “Sorry. I honestly didn't realize I'd be so bad. I'm usually tougher than this. I didn't mean to put you out.”

“I assure you, I am in no way put out. And I am very much not under the impression that you are weak. From the way Calista and Jeremy spoke of what you have done in rescuing us, I am far more likely to believe that you are powerful beyond your years. You are recovering from what was a feat that should have been beyond your resources. That does not make you weak, only human.”

Joe felt herself near tears at his kindness but held it back because she was tougher than that and didn't want to disappoint him. Then a thought hit and she cringed a bit. “Uh. How pissed was Nicole? Geez she's gonna want to ground me for a year.”

Doc smiled a charming smile that put a twinkle in his eyes and left Joe a bit breathless. “Oh don't worry, my dear. At first her worry distracted, then Alice's upset, and by the time everyone was reassured you would recover with a bit of quiet rest, she had the return of her beloved to absorb her. Plus everyone is feeling quite bad about not believing you, so you can always use that and of course the fact that you did in fact save us, to forestall any unfortunate repercussions.”

“Is Alice okay?”

“She is fine. In fact,” his expression softened, “she is more than fine." Joe smiled at the fact that he had clearly been charmed by her little sister. "She was upset at first but by the time Robin brought her, we had all been reassured of your condition, so her scare was limited. We had a chance to talk a bit, while everyone else was going through your research trying to make heads or tails of how you managed to do what you did. She talked a lot about you, how you take care of her, and about how you protected her from your father when she was small.” He watched her face even as she turned away to look at the floor. ‘This sweet young thing may be unaccountably powerful in her craft but she has no poker face at all.’ He thought then smiled and let it go. “She seems like a pretty special young lady.”

“She's is special. She's my sister and I love her” With that Joe shifted, pushed herself up, and felt another brief wave of weakness.

“Whoa there. Take it easy.” Said Doc jumping up to put a hand on her back and an arm out for her to grab and steady herself.

Joe took his arm and shook off the brief fuzziness. “I need the restroom and a shower. I feel like I haven't bathed in a month.” She had more she planned to do after that but decided with a deep breath to take it one step at a time


	10. Scene 10: Doc Joe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok so really a second half of scene 9 but I'd already posted the first half so....

Scene 10: Doc Joe 

Doc had stayed with her to the door of the bathroom, though weak, she had made it without needing his arm, so he had assured her he'd come if she called and left her to her privacy. He had seen her frowning at the scattering of books and notebooks on the table and could tell she was noting every item moved and more so those missing. From what he'd picked up from yesterdays conversations, this place had (until he had called in the troops) been her private sanctuary and after much disbelief and dismissal early on years ago, her research had been entirely her own. Now it had been shifted through, reviewed, and in some cases removed. For a determined girl so used to working in secret to reach a goal no one else even believed was real much less possible it much be upsetting indeed. But she had not railed or fussed, only a searching look and small frown gave her away. 

He looked at the journal he'd dropped in his pocket and frowned at himself. All the research and study books hadn't interested him, but he spotted this after pulling a comfortable chair into the room and taken a peak. The first page was a letter dated from about seven months ago and it was addressed Dear Doc,. He'd realized it was a journal right off but with an opening like that hadn't been able to resist. He'd read late into the night and picked it back up this morning and again after Nicole and Alice had checked in before going to work/school. He was nearly to the end, only about a week before she planned to get him (and Waverly). 

From what she'd written he recognized how much she loved her family, Nicole, Jeremy, and Robin. He appreciated her fierce love and support of her “sister”, Alice, and the (extreme) lengths she would go to protect her. But her deep sadness at their failure to understand her need and long struggle to find and bring back Waverly, Bobo, Wynonna, and himself was clear. He admired her lack of bitterness in having been left alone in her pursuit and her determination to make it a success on her own. What scared him though was the fact that she had come after him and Waverly first because they were suppose to be the easier of the two retrievals; And if the easy one did this to her then what would the difficult one do. He pushed the thought aside as he started to put the books and research back on the shelves they had inhabited two days ago. 

By the time she emerged from the bathroom in a long thick robe and her hair up in a towel the clutter was put away and he was starting to prepare some breakfast. “I do hope you are hungry for I am preparing you a feast of eggs and toast.” He called.

“Starved.”

“Shall I bring you a tray?”

“That's okay. Just let me get dressed and we can eat at the table.”

“As you wish.”

She smiled at his gallantry and at the fact that he didn't argue. Nicole or Jeremy would have ordered her back to bed assuming they'd have allowed her out of it in the first place. Even Robin, gentle pliable Robin, would have at least tried to make her lie back down. Good because she needed to push herself to get back to full strength and couldn't afford to waste energy fighting.

She dressed quickly in an old faded pair of jeans, her favorite long baggy sweatshirt , and slipped her bare feet into a thick pair of rubber soled lambs wool slippers. Doc slid a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of her and sat down with a plate of his own next to the only book left on the table, her journal. She wanted to ask right away but took a bite first and found she really was famished and ate every bite before looking up to find him half way through his plate and watching her bemused. “Would you like more? There's still plenty of eggs.”

She blushed under his gaze. “No that's alright. Thank you. Sorry about” she waved at the empty plate. “I didn't mean to just rush through like that.”

“Child, you needn't apologize for being hungry.”

“Uh. Okay. Thanks though. It tasted good. I was hungry.”

He saw her glancing at the journal, her desire to know if he knew palpable. “You are most welcome. How are you feeling after all this?”

“A little tired but okay.” She answered then she licked her lips nervously and asked quietly. “How much did you read?”

No accusation or recrimination about reading her diary, just a small almost fearful request to determine how much he knew. He put down his fork and answered gently. “Pretty much the whole thing. There's a few entries left but not enough for no never mind.”

“So you know? Know what I'm going to do?”

“I do indeed and when you plan to do it.”

“Are you going to try and stop me? Are you going to” she swallowed hard “tell?”

“No child, I won't stop you and I don't need to tell” he picked up his fork as her face went white “because you will.”

She started breathing again and color came back to her face. “So they don't know?”

“That you plan on going after Wynonna and Bobo next in just under 2 months? No, child, only you and I appear to be privy to that.”

“If you tell, they'll try to stop me. They won't believe I can do it.” She waited for a response but he just continued to slowly finish his plate. “You want me to? You want her, Wynonna, back. Right?”

He looked up again. “Yes child I want her back but from what I read you expect that retrieving her and Bobo will be more difficult not less and retrieving us near killed you, so the others must be told. Because if WE are going to get them back without sacrificing you then WE are going to need their help.”

She paused for a moment working at pushing down the assumed doubt then asked hopefully, “You mean, you'll help? You're going to actually help?” 

“Yes. And together we shall get others, far more capable at such thing than I, to help as well.” He saw the tears start to come, so stood to clear away the dishes, as she quickly brushed them away.

“I need to spend time in the barn. There's a spot I've put together there where I can meditate and start to recharge.”

“Then spend time there you shall but not today. Today you rest. Tonight we talk to Officer Haught and Miss Calista. Tomorrow I will see you get time in the barn.” He declared.

She considered arguing but he gave her a determined gaze. “Fine. But I'll rest in a chair by the fire. I've slept enough.”

He waved her toward the chair with a flourish. “As you wish.” Then turned to the dishes. He only smiled when she quickly snatched up a book on her way past the shelves. If she was as tired as she looked… He cleaned up slowly and, as expected, found her asleep in the chair when he was done. He set the book aside, lifted her, and carried her gently to bed where he slipped off her slippers and jeans and tucked her in. If they were going to start convincing Nicole and the others tonight, she was going to need her sleep.


	11. Scene 11: Homestead Gathering

Scene 11: Homestead Gathering

Waverly put the casserole in the oven to keep it warm and turned back to Doc. “Robin's picking Alice up from her after school statistics group They should be along soon. She did her best to talk Nicole out of going to school this morning but insisted she needed to stay late for statistics. I mean, yeh, I've only know her for a couple days but she didn't strike me as a math geek.”

Doc smiled with a hint of pride and leaned back in his chair. “Well, clearly she is a young lady of great depths.”

“Ha.” Joe called out from the bedroom. “The senior who run the group uses poker to study statistics and Alice talked them all into playing for real money so she can try to clean ‘em all out twice a month. That and the senior is a chiseled hunk with deep dreamy brown eyes.”

Waverly laughed. “So she takes after her father then?”

“Lord help us all.” He said but didn't seem displeased.

“Jeremy will be bringing salad and Nicole said she'd grab something but they're both running a bit late. They got inundated with reports of creepies yesterday and again today. Especially out near the Barrens.”

Calista came through the curtain from the bedroom. She smoothed back the long dark hair that framed a fine boned face with dark almond eyes that mixed with her chocolaty skin to give her a very exotic appearance for such a down to earth woman. “That would be from Joe's little adventure. The power she used and that released would have shone like a beacon to anyone at all sensitive in Purgatory and perhaps the whole triangle. I've had more requests for feverfew and peppermint tea to treat reaction head aches than I can supply. Any practicing witch with a taste for power is probably sending out creatures to scout.”

The door opened and Alice burst in, followed by Robin who pointed behind him. “Nicole and Jeremy are right behind us.” 

They both started to shuck off their outerwear. Doc asked “How was the poker game?”

Robin looked at Alice, “Poker game?”

Alice gave Doc a ‘really' look then flashed Robin a smile. “Practical statistics.” Back at Doc with a prim sass “It went very well. I was top of the class.” Then she dashed past Calista into the bedroom.

Nicole and Jeremy came in together and turned over the salad, bucket of chicken, and chocolate chip cookie cake, so they could remove their boots and add there coats to the hooks on the wall.

Waverly: “Chicken. Really. I made a casserole.”

Nicole shrugged. “What can I say the girl's were meat eaters when I got ‘em and clearly I have no power to change that. I'm lucky if I can keep ‘em both corralled and out of trouble.”

Waverly waved to indicate the room where all Joe's books were and teased. “Good job with that.” Then turned. “Will you stay for dinner, Calista.”

“Sure.”

Nicole shot back. “Hey don't look at me, Joe was suppose to be the quiet easy bookworm good sister.”

“Ah but it is the quiet ones you have to look out for.” Chimed in Doc.

Joe stepped from the bedroom. “We can hear you, you know. Oh and Calista was just saying how the power from the transition is probably what's drawing so many creatures to the barrens.”

Nicole turned to her and Calista shrugged. “You can't work magic that powerful practically unshielded and not draw attention.” They all settled in around the set and laden table as she continued. “Every dark witch in the area that can is most likely sending creatures to investigate. I doubt any will come in themselves just yet as none want to risk running into someone or thing more powerful than themselves..”

“How bad is it likely to get?” Asked the sheriff.

“I imagine it'll calm back down in a day or two when the scouts find nothing. It's a bit of a power center anyways but the stairway protects itself and Joe has the Homestead well shielded so they shouldn't connect the power back to here. I would suggest she stay here for at least a couple weeks though. Really, with her power center here I don't understand why she isn't living here full time.”

Joe looked at Nicole hopefully.

“Well, Waverly and I talked last night and she's decided to stay at the Gibbs Ranch with us so there's room, but I don't like the idea of you here alone. Shield or not, there's a lot of weird stuff wandering about right now.”

Doc spoke up. “Well that is easily remedied. I would be happy to stay as I am without other accommodations at the moment.”

Joe took up. “Perfect. So Waverly moves in with you. Doc and I stay here. And Alice is welcome in both homes,” she continued before Nicole could object. “but sleeps at the Gibbs home unless you ok otherwise. And I don't leave for two weeks from the Monday, when I got Doc and Waverly.”

Nicole looked hard at Joe trying to figure out what the girl was hiding. “Right and no more surprise magic.” Then went back to eating.

The general conversation and plans for the next couple weeks went forward as everyone ate. Joe kept her head down but could feel Doc watching her. Finally she sighed put down her fork and interjected. “Of course Wynonna may have something to say about that when she comes back.”

Everyone froze. After a moment Nicole closed her eyes, took a deep breath, put down her fork, any reopened her eyes to look straight at Joe. “Excuse me. Would you like to repeat that?” she said straining to stay calm.

Joe shot Doc a quick glance then licked her lips and tried to answer just as calmly despite her nerves. “All these plans they might, ya know, have to adjust when we get Wynonna back. Cause she'll, uh, probably want to have a say in it.”

Joe could feel Nicole trying not to loose her temper but the carefully controlled voice held. “And when might we expect THAT to happen?”

“In about..” Joe's young voice cracked and she cleared her throat. “In about 3 to 4 weeks. It's uh kinda hard to say exactly cause the time differential is so extreme.”

For Joe that's when the room exploded. Everyone seemed to start talking at once and a cacophony of sound and emotion washed over her. She was blasted with fear, anger, excitement, curiosity, amazement, betrayal, and a whisper of humour. She turned away from the increasing wall of voices and next to her was Doc sitting back silently with a small grin on his face watching. He felt her gaze and turned allowing her to grab his hand and focus on him as she tried to block it all out but it was quickly wearing on her.

Doc had been amused at the way she'd just casually dropped Wynonna's return into the conversation. Honestly the girl needed to learn some subtlety. Then he'd felt her eyes on him and turned. She was white as a sheet and after a few moments closed her eyes. When his whispered “Are you okay?” got an actual shake of her head, he ignored the rest, scooped her up, and carried her back to her bed. “What do you need?”

“What? No, nothing. I'll be fine. It was all just too too…” she laid back eyes closed and took several deep slow breaths.

Everyone had gone quiet and then Doc heard Calista sending everyone away. The strain on Joe's face started to ease but he stayed sitting next to her on the bed. After a minute Calista slipped in with a foul smelling cup and took his place. Your empathic, child. It didn't occur to you that dropping that announcement on everyone together out of nowhere might be stressful?” she sat the girl up and put the cup out to her. “Drink up. This'll dull your senses a bit and help you sleep. I've ordered everyone out and told them no visitor's until at least Friday, the morning after next. That should give your channels time to heal. You have a meditation spot where you recharge?”

Joe handed her back the empty cup and laid back. “In the barn.”

“That makes sense.”

“Want to get out there tomorrow.” The girl was already a bit slurry as she closed her eyes.

“I'm sure you do.” Calista replied but Joe was asleep. She turned to Doc. “You seem the least emotionally charged right now. Are you okay to stay here with her until Friday? If not say so and I'll get Robin to come sit with her.”

“I am quite willing.” He replied.

“Good. I'll have Robin check in tomorrow morning and evening as he's the most laidback and his updates will keep the rest at bay. I've left more of the tea. Brew up a cup for her in the morning with breakfast, when she wakes for lunch, and again at bedtime. That should keep her asleep most of the day. She can move around as she feels up to but keep her in the house and away from the barn. Her channels need rest. I'll be back Friday morning. Got that?”

“Yes ma'am.”

“Good. Everyone was heading over to the Gibb's house. I'm going to stop in and give ‘em an update. Good night.”

“Good night.” Nodded Doc and watched her leave. Then he looked back at the sleeping girl. “Well, child, everyone believes you now. So let's get you healed up. We've got family to retrieve.”


	12. Scene 12: Joe Doc Bobo

Scene 12: Joe

She shifted slightly to get comfortable, half standing/half sitting on the plain wooden bar stool and started to relax. Having the stool so she could trance more deeply without having to actually sit on the ground where she and Bobo might not be able to get the grip they would need was a good idea. It had been Robins. She could sense Doc, Waverly, and Nicole spread out around her. Far enough out that she could block them from distracting her but close enough to stop anything her action attracted. That had been Nicole’s idea and it was a good one for once she tranced down fully she, Joe, would be oblivious to everything around her. Calista had shown her how to put up light shields around this spot ahead of time to help muffle the power surge to come, the healer was even now waiting back at the homestead to help with any backlash reaction she might have. Jeremy had gone over her time differential figures with her again and was playing manny (a term that annoyed Alice but seemed to amuse him endlessly) to Alice, so Joe didn't have to worry. She had gone 3 days after the night she'd told them with little contact with anyone but Doc and Robin, focused only on resting and recharging. Come that Sunday her family/friends had started popping in and out. She wasn't sure what happened in between (Doc had taken a few quick drives Friday and Saturday and she suspected he had a lot to do with it) but they came back all in and eager to help. It had almost been to much.

Only five days ago their constant questioning had started to make her question, then when they all caught onto the fact that she was going after Bobo not Wynonna, that Wynonna was just a hanger on, their negativity about Bobo had nearly overwhelmed her. Doc had found her in the barn crying unable to focus afraid she would never be able to connect with Bobo when her sense of him was so skewed from what they were projecting. Doc hadn't been turned away or disgusted by her weakness he had just sat down next to her, held her, and listened to her babble as she tried to explain things she had no words for, until she had worn herself out. He left her to rest on an old cot. After that, not a bad word or thought was expressed and the next morning Robin and Waverly had come over to talk. They'd talk about Robert and Bobo and all the good things: his love of jazz, him being Waverly's imaginary friend, how he'd saved Wynonna, Willa, and all the times he'd helped and saved Waverly. It had helped. Then the last three days Doc had kept everyone from even asking or discussing the plans with her. He may not have understood fully what she was doing but he'd understood what she needed and made sure she got it.

Now it was time to put everything she'd/ they'd been preparing for in action. She relaxed as deeply as she could, slowed her breathing and her heart rate, lifted her arms and willed them to remain frozen in place perfectly still in a reaching out position. She slowed even more until she could feel herself unmoving, removed from the world around her that moved over 300x faster than the place she was reaching to. Then she sent her glacially slow thoughts out and probed past the arch under the stairs looking for him, her target, her love, her need, her everything. She touched his thoughts lightly and found him crouching waiting, ready for her, wanting her. She let her need for him grow inside her until she had no purpose or meaning beyond that need. She became her need for him and the desire calling to him. She could feel him so close only a breath of a film separating them. Then even that was gone and he lunged to her their needs grasping at each other. For a fraction of a moment she almost felt a grip but it immediately started to slip as the time streams conflicted. Then his grip on her arms crushed in piercing her flesh, her need exploding with the feel of contact, she grasped and pulled. Then she felt herself burned away by a pure white light the intensity of 100 suns and blacked out.

Scene 12: Doc

Doc shifted his weight to his other foot without moving from where he was leaning against a tree waiting. It was well into the afternoon and would be getting dark in another hour or so. Joe had explained the whole time difference thing to them. He hadn't understood much of it except to realise that they could be at this for days and it would still be like one try for those on the other side. She'd said again and again not to expect to have anything happen right away probably not even in the first day or two. He'd still anticipated as they walked out early this morning, feeling like they were ready and this was happening. But he'd been in enough gun fights to know to stay ready but relaxed and as the hours dragged on he was glad of that experience. 

He was just starting to wonder if they were going to be calling it a day when everything went still. The air started to feel charged like it did just before a lightning strike. Then a great clap of thunder followed by an invisible wall of power knocked him from his feet and threw him to the ground. 

He grabbed his hat and leapt to his feet only to hear a growling howling near by, then another, and another until the woods were filled with the sounds of unnatural beasts all around their positions. He turned and ran towards the staircase, pulling his guns, arriving at the same time as Waverly and Nicole to find Bobo fallen atop and unconscious Joe, Wynonna, and Rosita ( ?? That was a surprise but no time for that now) down on either side but awake and alert. He barely had time to note their presences before the beasts attack. All shapes and sizes with teeth and claws. He picked targets and started to fire. Nicole and Waverly’s weapons sounding around him. Only a breath behind Wynonna and Rosita stepped up firing at the beasts, helping to hold them back. He risked a glance back and yelled to Bobo to grab the girl.

Scene 12: Bobo

He fell through the gateway on top of the girl dragging Wynonna and Rosita with him. Before he could even get up they were surrounded by incoming beasts. Doc, Waverly, and Waverly's cop girlfriend were killing them but not fast enough. Then Wynonna and Rosita were up adding to the defense and Doc yelled “Get the girl.” 

Bobo scooped up the girl and followed the old gunslinger as they ran through the woods, the others clearing a path before him. As they neared the edge of the woods, he saw a truck running, waiting just past the trees, and jazz boy stood there by open door waving to him to hurry. Bobo put on a last burst of speed and threw himself and the girl into the truck. The door slammed behind him and then they were off leaving the others behind to get to the other vehicles or not. Jazz boy called back from the front seat. “How is she?”

Bobo looked down at the unconscious girl shaking on the seat beneath him and reached out to her. Her skin was cold and clammy her breathing ragged. He found her pulse but it was fast and erratic. “Not good.” 

“Calista's waiting at the homestead. I'll get you there as fast as I can.” 

Bobo had no idea who Calista was but, as he pulled the girl onto his lap and held her while the sweet notes of jazz conflicted with their frantic race, he hoped she could help.

They flew onto the Earp Homestead and Jazz Boy fish tailed the truck practically onto the porch. The woman waiting there pulled open the car door, hands going to check out the girl. “Damn. She's worse than I'd expected. Get her inside.” She ordered. Bobo lifted her out of the car and followed to a back bedroom. As soon as he laid her down the woman pulled off the girls boots hat and coat. Then started checking her over clearly unhappy with what she found. Then the woman just paused and closed her eyes. He was just about to say something when she ordered “strip” and started to pull off the girls clothes. She turned looked directly at Bobo. “I said strip.” 

Bobo began to strip. “What are we doing?”

She's freezing, like her body has stopped producing heat, and she's not there, like she's become disconnected from her body. We need to get her warm and connected.” She had stripped the girl to her panties. “Get in.”

Bobo drew back. “What?”

“Get in behind her and hold her as close as you can. I wants as much skin to skin contact as you can get.”

Bobo slid into the bed behind the girl and spooned her; holding her as close as he could, while the woman injected her and then started chanting and probing along the girls energy points. This went on as darkness fell. Slowly the girl stopped shaking. Her breathing and heartbeat calmed. “Reach out to her.” The woman said softly.

“What?”

“Reach out to her. With your heart and your mind. Reach out for her. Find her spirit. She is lost as you were. Now you need to seek her as she sought you and bring her back.”

Bobo started to pull back away from the girl. “Look lady. I don't know what…”

The woman went hard, her whispering voice cold, her eyes narrowed. “Fool. You are a mortal now. Nothing more. Nothing less. You hold in your arms the most powerful witch in the triangle, perhaps one of the most powerful in the world. She has been reaching out to you for five years wanting/needing to connect. In the last few days she has purposely flamed that need into an overwhelming obsession to get you back. Now she lays here weak and vulnerable. This is your chance to save her but more to connect her/ bond her to you. Hold her, touch her, breath in her scent. Do what ever it takes to connect with her and bring her back. Think of the power. A white witch sole bonded to you.” Then the exotic woman stood draping his great furred coat and a soft blanket over them both and left.

Bobo looked down at the sleeping girl running his long fingers over her shoulder and down her arm to the bloody punctures his fingers had made. He inhaled the scent of her hair. He gently ran his tongue along the curve of her ear. Then he gave a deep groaning growl, clutched her to him, and reached.

Calista walked out to the porch where everyone was waiting. “I got her physically stabilized but she's lost, disconnected from her body. She needs to be found and anchored back in this reality or she'll never wake up.”

Doc stepped forward. “Fine. What ever it takes. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it.”

She placed a hand on his arm “If it comes to that. I may let you try but her best shot at getting back isn't you. It isn't any of you. Her best hope is the man who is wrapped around her as we speak. Her best hope is Bobo.” She noted the various expressions from worry to doubt to disgust. “Look, like it or not. He is the one she has been reaching out to and bonding with for five years. He is the one she's most closely linked to right now, and he's the best chance we have of getting her back.” She met their eyes one by one. “Doc, you stay. We'll look in from time to time but no matter what and I mean no matter what, we do not interrupt or disturb them. He needs to bond to her in any way he can.” Nicole gave a small strangled sob and Waverly put her arms around the softly crying woman. “The rest of you go home.”

“Hey. This is my home, lady.” Wynonna protested.

“Wynonna!” Doc growled.

“Fine. I'll go with Waves or Jeremy or you know what ever.”

“That would be best. They need to be left in peace.” Calista stood watching until the last vehicle was off the property then turned back to the house. “Come on Doc, we might as well settle in. It's going to be a long night.”


	13. Scene 13: JoeDoc. Bobo

Scene 13: JoeDoc

Joe came awake slowly and let herself just lay enjoying the soft warmth. She could hear Doc in the other room talking to someone, she guessed Wynonna, upstairs storming around and yelling down the stairs back at him. It was a friendly conversation. Wynonna was looking for something and telling about a hunting trip to the pine barrens. Doc was responding with easy light hearted quips. It was nice to just lay listening. Also, Wynonna upstairs meant the grab into Purgatory had been a success, but that didn't surprise her. Though she had no real memories past trancing down and reaching out, she had a deep sense that it had worked and that Bobo was here. She recalled fleeting impressions of waking followed by foul tasting broths and teas only to fade out again. 

She started to notice feelings of stiffness and grunginess that comes from too long in bed and wondered how long she'd been in limbo this time. She stretched a bit and then slowly sat up and gave herself time to evaluate. She felt weak and a bit achy but not bad, not even as bad as when she awoke the first time. She cautiously reach out her senses and felt Wynonna's little success at finding what she'd been searching for, Doc's moment of awareness and relief, and Bobo's restlessness and then happiness/excitement. They were all relaxed everyday feelings but they came through crisper and clearer than feelings ever had before. Plus, no pain or ache in her channels. She felt Doc at her door and watched as he pushed back the curtain and leaned lazily on the door frame.

Doc herd a rustling in Joe's room and found her sitting up awake and apparently alert. He'd been worried after weeks of sleep interrupted by only brief half awake periods just long enough to get a bit of soft food into her. “Well, well, well. Sleeping beauty awakens at last. How are you feeling?”

“Like I haven't washed, moved, or had anything real to eat for a month, but otherwise not bad. No pain or dizziness. Even my senses aren't tender.”

“Excellent that is good here. Do you feel up to a bite to eat?”

“Yeh. That'd be great, but maybe a shower and fresh clothes first.” She paused a moment then asked. “How long was I out? I feel pretty healed up.”

“It will have been three weeks tomorrow.”

“Wow. Guess it took a bit more out of me than I thought, but we got though it and now it's done.”

“You sound disappointed.”

Wynonna stuck her head in and interrupted. “Oh hey. Your awake. Great.” She said offhandedly to Joe and turned to Doc. “I'm gonna go get Waves and head back out. Don't think we got all those blue slimy things.”

“Do try not to get the slime on you this time?”

“No promises. Hey are you opening the bar today?”

“Same as everyday until we can get in some dependable help. And I'll be taking Bobo with me to continue working on the books as soon as Jeremy arrives.”

Wynonna gave a small frown. “I need Jeremy analyzing that weird gloppy stuff we found this morning.”

“He will only be here until Robin and Alice arrive after school.”

“It's not one of her poker afternoons is it?”

“No. It will be a regular early dismissal.”

“Great. Catch ya later.” Then she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and left.

Joe asked “So Bobo's staying in the barn and helping out at Shorty's?”

“For now but things are still a bit fluid. Now about that shower.”

Scene 13: Bobo

He was getting ready for another day of going over the books at Shorty's to see just how much damage the incompetent manager that Doc had ousted had done. It wasn't any more interesting or exciting that residing in this dump of a barn, but he could bide his time with the best of ‘em and it kept him close to his Josephine and the others. He'd spent the whole night that they returned with her; calling and coaxing, seducing her to return and by morning he'd succeeded. 

Since then he'd stayed close, taking his turns as nursemaid, moving into the barn, then helping out at the bar. He was always aware of her, able to touch that connection to her that let him know she was sleeping or having her brief half waking stirrings, but that was not enough. He would need time with her once she awoke fully. Time to nurture that connection into something stronger and deeper. 

Then he felt it. She was awake. She would need to rebuilt her strength but he was pleased with her sense of well-being. When she reached out to him, he let her feel his happiness and excitement. Then he smiled a happy anticipatory grin, licked his lips, and gestured toward the house. “Ah my sweet child, you have awakened at last. Sweet joy. The plans I have for you; For together, we shall be epic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End. For now?


End file.
